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Positive COVID case at Detour Lake mine

Kirkland Lake Gold employee remains at home, health unit begins contact tracing
Detour Lake Mine
Detour Lake Mine file photo. Detour Gold

The Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) is investigating a positive COVID result for an employee from Detour Lake Mine, north of Cochrane.

The health unit reported Aug. 6 that the individual is currently being monitored by the PHU and is in self-isolation at home while the investigation continues.

The remote mine is 185 kilometres northeast of Cochrane and eight kilometres from the Quebec border. The open-pit gold mine operation is own by Kirkland Lake Gold.

No immediate word came from the Toronto-based mining company if operations are continuing and what safeguards are being put in place.

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The PHU has already followed up with close contacts, those with high risk exposures; however, there is a potential for exposure for anyone on the Detour Lake Mine Site between July 30 and Aug. 3.

These individuals have been advised by the health unit to actively monitor themselves for symptoms, isolate immediately if they occur; report to their supervisor or someone with the mine's medical staff, and call the PHU for testing.

This also includes local residents who worked on the site on the applicable dates and have returned or are returning to remote northern communities.

Those returning residents, if considered close contacts, have been contacted by the health unit and given appropriate instructions. 

These recommendations apply for 14 days, ending on August 17. People are being advised to monitor and stay home if unwell in any way, regardless of exposure.

 


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